Details
MAUCROIX, François de (1619-1708). Autograph letter signed to 'Monsieur des Preaux' [Nicolas Boileau], Reims, 2 November 1683, 2½ pages, small 8vo, address panel (to Preaux 'au Cloitre de notre dame a Paris'), remains of seals (slightly browned, splitting in central vertical fold).
A letter to Boileau citing some of the great names of the 17th century including La Fontaine, Racine, Cassandre, Rainssant and Louvois: 'Je vous supplie, Monsieur, de me faire une grace, cest de donner six Loüis d'or a notre amy Cassandre, Il a besoin de cette petite somme pour achever une constitution de rente, ou quelque batiment qu'il a entrepris ... je vous les ferai prendre par Monsieur Rainssant qui sera dans quinze jours a Paris; car vous scauréz que M. Larcheveque de Reims nous enleve notre Esculape, et le donne a Monsieur de Louvoy pour son medecin'. Maucroix sends his greetings to Racine, and a message referring to La Fontaine.
His appointment as canon of Reims allowed Maucroix to pursue his literary interests -- he refers charmingly to Notre-Dame de Paris, where Boileau is, as 'le Palais du Silence'. He was closely associated with Boileau and Racine, and particularly with La Fontaine whose character was said to match his own. The writer François Cassandre was a frequent recipient of Maucroix's charity. The Marquis de Louvois (Michel Le Tellier) to whom Pierre Rainssant was to be doctor succeeded Colbert as chief minister to Louis XIV.
A letter to Boileau citing some of the great names of the 17th century including La Fontaine, Racine, Cassandre, Rainssant and Louvois: 'Je vous supplie, Monsieur, de me faire une grace, cest de donner six Loüis d'or a notre amy Cassandre, Il a besoin de cette petite somme pour achever une constitution de rente, ou quelque batiment qu'il a entrepris ... je vous les ferai prendre par Monsieur Rainssant qui sera dans quinze jours a Paris; car vous scauréz que M. Larcheveque de Reims nous enleve notre Esculape, et le donne a Monsieur de Louvoy pour son medecin'. Maucroix sends his greetings to Racine, and a message referring to La Fontaine.
His appointment as canon of Reims allowed Maucroix to pursue his literary interests -- he refers charmingly to Notre-Dame de Paris, where Boileau is, as 'le Palais du Silence'. He was closely associated with Boileau and Racine, and particularly with La Fontaine whose character was said to match his own. The writer François Cassandre was a frequent recipient of Maucroix's charity. The Marquis de Louvois (Michel Le Tellier) to whom Pierre Rainssant was to be doctor succeeded Colbert as chief minister to Louis XIV.
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